Lawyer wrongly accused in Madrid bombings back in court over Patriot Act

[superconnected]

Source: Associated Press

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - The lawyer whom the FBI wrongly accused in the 2004 Madrid terrorist bombings was in court Monday to urge a judge to strike down provisions of the USA Patriot Act that helped investigators conduct what he says were unconstitutional searches of his home and office.

Brandon Mayfield settled part of his case against the federal government for $2 million in November but was allowed to continue to pursue his challenge of the Patriot Act. He says the government is continuing to violate his civil rights by retaining thousands of copied pages of his family's personal information.

Mayfield was arrested May 6, 2004, after a fingerprint found on a bag of detonators in Madrid was incorrectly matched to him.

Before the arrest, federal authorities searched Mayfield's Portland-area home and law office, going through files and placing bugging devices in the home.


Read more: http://www.komotv.com/news/local/9712197.html

[PDJane]

1. Expand the database........

and see how many mismatches they come up with. No-one outside of the elite will be safe.

[pitohui]

2. and here they had mismatched FINGERPRINTS!

apparently the new digital storage methods of fingerprints are not so accurate and you can be "matched" and accused of a crime you couldn't possibly have convicted

he was lucky he was in oregon while the crime was in spain and there was no possible way he could have done this -- and still they turn his whole life upside down investigating him for something, anything to get the egg off their face

what if you were falsely matched to a crime that took place in your own town?

seems like you can't trust any authority any more to be careful and accurate, if they just want to book a showy arrest